The Bears will walk out of the first round with a safety prospect. Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman is heading to Chicago via the No. 25 overall pick.
Thieneman arrives after the Bears lost their 2025 safety starters — Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker — in free agency. The Patriots signed Byard, who reunited with ex-Titans HC Mike Vrabel, while the Steelers added Brisker. The Bears did bounce back by signing Coby Bryant, and they will pair him with Thieneman — the first safety chosen in Round 1 by Chicago since Mark Carrier went sixth overall in 1990.
That is quite the lengthy stretch, though the Bears had used Round 2 (Brisker) to address the position in Ryan Poles‘ first offseason in charge. DC Dennis Allen will attempt to mold Thieneman alongside Bryant, handpicked to play in his system like Byard was as a 2025 free agent.
Thieneman follows Caleb Downs as the second safety off the board. They were the only two selected Thursday night, with Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Arizona’s Treydan Stukes remaining on the board entering Day 2.
Sitting 16th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Thieneman transferred from Purdue to Oregon in 2025. He intercepted six passes as a freshman Boilermaker in 2023 and grabbed two more picks last season at Oregon. Thieneman completed the impressive feat of becoming a two-time AP All-American, being named to the third team in 2023 and second team in ’25. He finished with a combined 210 tackles during his two Purdue seasons, adding 96 at Oregon last year.
The Ducks deployed Thieneman in the box, in the slot and as a pure safety last season. He showed high-level instincts and quality speed in coverage in helping the Ducks to the CFP semifinals, and the Bears will have the opportunity to determine how they want to use the former Big Ten chess piece.
Chicago lost breakout corner Nahshon Wright in free agency (to the Jets), but the NFC North champions return CB regulars Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon to go with former starter Tyrique Stevenson. Thieneman gives the Bears four first- or second-round picks at safety, with Bryant — a 2022 Seahawks fourth-rounder — the only former Day 3 pick projected to start in the Windy City secondary.
This draft couldn’t have fallen any better for the Bears even if they drew it up beforehand. Guy they wanted all along. Give him a training camp with Al Harris and he’s a day 1 Starter. Great pick. Bears went from having 2 of the slowest Safeties to Two of the fastest. With JJ and Hopefully Gordon being healthy Allen now has speed and Cover guys with Bush and Bryant added also. Plus 2 second round picks for some more Defense. Make it deeper.
Agreed Mike. This whole draft has been a little wild tonight. I’m just glad Bain Jr didn’t end up in the North.
With Bush, Bryant and Theineman at least I shouldn’t have to watch the other teams TE running around free as a bird in the Bears secondary anymore. I couldn’t be happier.
This defense feels like it’s gonna be a lot better
They should improve on their 29th ranking but I don’t see them coming close to 33 takeaways again this season.
The biggest hole in their defense was and still is the D-line. But there wasn’t a lineman at the talent level of Thienemen. It was the right pick and it’ll help- But IMO, Poles has to use a couple of the next several picks on fixing that atrocious run defense.
You can’t keep bashing the D line and blame them for everything when Turner and Odeyingbo got injured and Jarrett played hurt all year. I mean hey I’m not crazy about the Odeyingbo move either because I thought they could have done better but if Jacas is there in round 2 and they can get another fast LB a couple picks later it makes the defense a fast bunch which is how Allen likes to play. I don’t know how Gallimore and Street fit in exactly until I see them play. We’re stuck with them for this year because we can’t get rid of them until after this year. And I got news for you without more speed on the back end they weren’t getting anywhere near 33 takeaways again. Now with Al Harris and new fast blood they have at least a chance to get there. Allen was dealt a bad hand and did the best he could with what he had. Now he gets some help.You can’t blitz and scheme when the people you have are slow and old. Now they’re not.
You have to look at the defense as a whole. If you had Will Anderson, Maxx Crosby and Chris Jones and the QB gets the ball off in 2 seconds because people are wide open when nobody can cover them you aren’t getting any sacks either. When I saw the Bears blitz last year it was like I was watching it in slow motion. Brisker and Wright and Byard had to play zone because they couldn’t run with the guys they were covering. If you’re going to get to the QB you have to make him move and rush his throw, Then have guys who can cover 1 on 1. Now they have some. Hopefully the DB’s get to camp in shape because they obviously under estimated how tough it was going to be when Eberlose ran a Country Club where nobody did anything. They can use Jacas and they need some protection if something happens to Bush. Sanborn is nice but he’s not fast he’s steady and reliable. Give Allen some help and he’ll be fine. Bears have 14 DB’s in camp. Should be some competition and guys fighting for jobs.
Sorry, Mike, but Dayo and Jarret were complete whiffs. Dayo did nothing before he was injured and Jarret is just done. As much as I like the first pick, what Poles did last night was ridiculous. He did nothing to address their biggest weakness. I highly doubt “tree sloth” Dexter or any of the camp bodies he signed will do squat to help that lame run defense.
Well the Patriots kind of ruined the whole thing by sliding in front of the Bears at 55 and taking Jacas. That second round should have gone Jacas- Jones and it would have been better. The TE they took because I’m pretty sure Kmet is getting moved whether now or later. The WR is a KR so that Raymond and Burden don’t have to do it and can take the top of the defense. The trouble with letting the board come to you is sometimes the board goes away and there was a run on DLine. It fell right Thu. Friday it didn’t. I’m still saying the additions in the back 7 on defense will aid the DLine immensely. Look they won’t have money again until next year. If they weren’t going to deal for Cap relief I’m shocked they haven’t at least renegotiated some deals to at least be able to sign these guys and get them into camp right away. I mean what are they waiting for if they’re gonna keep everybody?
How much cap would they save if they dealt Kmet? Didn’t they just restructure his contract to free up 10 mill or so? Never been good at the books with NFL
If they traded Kmet they could save enough to sign the whole draft class. Right now they don’t have enough to buy a football. Plus they could get something back like a pick next year. Now they have a B/U TE who makes 11 million bucks. And as far as I know haven’t renegotiated a single contract yet.
link to apple.news
I believe here’s a link from the Windy City Gridiron about restructured deals freeing up 10 mill in cap space.
Bears just drafted another good CB. So Kyler Gordon could be on the block too. Bears now have like 15 DB’s on the roster.
According to Spotrac the Bears mysteriously have 11 million in Cap Space now so well researched.
I just think the way they follow “best player available” is extreme. When you had the 29th ranked run defense, it HAS to be addressed if you’re serious about a Super Bowl. The Chiefs moved up twice to grab D-line difference makers. The Eagles aggressively added to their D-line as well. We have a potentially great offense, but the D-line is where championships are won. We’ve seen it time after time. The Bears do not have a championship D-line. And for whatever reason, Poles still doesn’t get it.
Great pick!! Needed more speed on the back end, especially against the teams in our division. I didn’t think he would be there.
I can’t believe he fell to us! Bear Down! 🐻⬇️
This wasnt my initial preference but I am warming up to the pick. He has great measurables but needs to learn to shed blockers better. With Giants drafting Reese I cant help but wonder if theyll move Thibodeaux now. I would give pick 89 for him and then feel much better about the decision to go safety in round 1. GO BEARS!!!